"From Domestic to Overseas"... GS Retail Aims for $1 Million in Craft Beer Exports This Year

Export Target Countries Diversified to 13 Nations

Gwanghwamun beer exported by GS Retail is being sold at local convenience stores in Taiwan.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] As the export value of differentiated craft beer has significantly increased recently, GS Retail announced on the 3rd that it has raised its export target for craft beer overseas to 1 million USD this year.

In 2019, GS Retail exported about 38,000 cans of craft beer, including Gwanghwamun, to Taiwan through Korea Craft Brewery, generating 30,000 USD in sales, and sold out in local convenience stores within a month. In 2020, exports expanded to 6 types worth 90,000 USD, and in 2021 to 13 types worth 340,000 USD. In the first half of this year, exports of 15 types worth 560,000 USD were completed.

The export destinations have expanded from mainly Asian countries to 13 countries this year, including Germany, France, Switzerland, and Australia. Notably, Gyeongbokgung craft beer, which won the gold prize at the 2019 International Beer Cup (a global beer competition), ranked first in export value among the craft beers exported by GS25 in the first half of this year.

GS Retail strengthened its dedicated overseas export-import department established in May 2020 and plans to achieve an annual export value of 20 million USD to 50 countries by 2025.

A GS Retail official said, “Differentiated craft beer is gaining recognition for its quality as it is exported even to European countries, the birthplace of beer,” adding, “Soon, we aim to grow beyond a domestic distribution company to become a major export distribution company and expand globally.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.